Christopher Kingsley works as a tour operator and lives with his wife and children.

A. Sadly I fear the foot-and-mouth crisis will drive more of our local farmers to sell up and leave farming, knowing that a British government which claims to represent them has sacrificed their livelihoods on the alter of European commerce.

Ever-spiralling costs - now well above £20bn - have been incurred to preserve a meat export industry worth £1.2bn per year.

It is the economies of the madhouse but that's just it - the Common Agricultural Policy is mad!

B. The keys to combating rural crime are surely based on common sense.

Firstly, crime prevention is far cheaper and easier than crime solving so I would advocate more crime prevention officers and renewed support for local self help schemes.

Secondly, having to spend hours on paperwork is a deterrent to police officers to investigate smaller crimes so, in common with the other parties, the UKIP seek to reduce this drastically.

However, unlike the other parties, UKIP sees the root of much of this in European legislation and withdrawal from the EU would make a real difference.

Freedom from the EU would also unlock considerable resources and UKIP would allocate a share of the £20bn "independence dividend" to the employment of 25,000 more police officers.

Other parties argue about whether police numbers are increasing or not, but we are the only party who can offer any "new" money to combat crime.

C. Nobody should attempt to make this a party political issue as everyone is entitled to their view and should make judgement according to their own convictions.

I therefore reject the cynicism of any party who claims to be "the party of the countryside".

Personally, being a county dweller, I would fight to protect traditional country pursuits, as this is an essential part of our heritage.

However, I am uncomfortable about blood sports and do not accept the argument that, because it has been going on for so long, the Government has no right to change it.

However, fox hunting is hardly one of the big issues facing Britain at this time and the amount of time spent by the current government on the issue suggests that they would like to deflect public attention away from more important matters.